Game apparatus

ABSTRACT

A novel game in which two players playing competitively try to break each other&#39;&#39;s inflated rubber balloon, the balloons being mounted upon opposite ends of a hollow base in which a threaded shaft has a knob on each end for each player to turn in order that a nut on the shaft can travel in a corresponding direction, the nut carrying a structure on which a snake-shaped figurine faces each balloon, the snake mouths being open and exposing pointed pins that are in line to puncture the balloons; the amount of the knob turn by each player being determined by first rotating a spinner.

United States Patent [191 Gastin et al.

[4 1 Jan. 21, 1975 1 GAME APPARATUS [76] Inventors: David R. Gastin, HayDenville, l ogan, Ohio 43127;Ro nald A. Baaske, 5743 Ohio St.,Vermilion, Ohio 44089 [22] Filed: Oct. 29, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 410,507

[52] US. Cl. 273/134 G, 273/1 R, 273/86 A, 273/134 E [51] Int. Cl. A6313/00 [58] Field of Search 273/1, 134, 135, 86, 95

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,410,371 3/1922 Chester273/86 R 2,140,411 12/1938 Wood 273/95 A 3,608,903 9/1971 Cooper et a1.273/135 R Primary E.raminer-Delbcrt B. Lowe [5 7] ABSTRACT A novel gamein which two players playing competitively try to break each othersinflated rubber balloon, the balloons being mounted upon opposite endsof a hollow base in which a threaded shaft has a knob on each end foreach player to turn in order that a nut on the shaft can travel in acorresponding direction, the nut carrying a structure on which asnake-shaped figurine faces each balloon, the snake mouths being openand exposing pointed pins that are in line to puncture the balloons; theamount of the knob turn by each player being determined by firstrotating a spinner.

1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures GAME APPARATUS This invention relatesgenerally to competitive games.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a game inwhich two players try to break each others balloon in order to win thegame.

Another object is to provide a game in which the players each try tomove a snake-shaped figurine toward the opponents balloon, each figurinehaving a snake head with its mouth open from which a pointed pin extendsso as to puncture the balloon if it moves into contact with it.

Still another object is to provide a game which can be played bychildren as well as by adults.

Other objects are to provide a game which is simple in design,inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use, andefficient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of thefollowing specification and the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the invention, showing the base in crosssection so as to illustrate the interior structure.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a spinner that is used with the game.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral representsa game according to the present invention, wherein there is a hollowbase 11 which at its opposite ends has bearings 12 for rotatablysupporting a shaft 13 having a knob 14 on each end.

A screw thread 15 along shaft 13 engages a threaded nut 16 integral withpost 17 extending upwardly out of a slot IS on top of the base, theupper end of the post being integral with a figurine on each side thatis shaped like a snake 19 having an open mouth from which a pin 20protrudes. The snakes face in opposite directions.

Upon the upper side 21 of the base, there is a clip 22 at each end, eachclip serving to hold in place an inflated rubber balloon 23. Theballoons are in line for being punctured by the pins.

A conventional spinner 24 is used in the game, the spinner comprising aflat card 25 with a circle of numbers 26 printed on it. A rotatablearrow 27 is mounted on a center rivet 28 of the card so it can be spunin order to point to one of the numbers after it stops spinning.

ln playing the game, the nut is first moved to the middle of the slot sothat an arrow head 29 on the post lines up with an arrowhead 30 on upperside 21 of the base. A first player then spins the spinner so as to geta number. He then rotates his knob the number of times that is indicatedby the spinner number. This causes a snake to move toward the otherplayers balloon. Then the other player spins the spinner and rotates hisknob accordingly so the snakes move in the opposite direction. After anumber of back and forth movements, eventually one of the snakes reachesone of the balloons and punctures it so as to determine the game loserand win- 1161'.

I claim:

1. In a game apparatus, the combination of a base, a threaded shaftsupported rotatably on said base, a knob secured on each end of saidshaft, a threaded nut engaged on said shaft, a radially extending postintegral with said nut, a figurine extending from two opposite sides ofsaid post, each said figurine comprising a snake design having aprojecting tongue, said tongues comprising oppositely extending pointedpins, said post extending through a slot of said base, longitudinal axesof said shaft and said pins being parallel to the longitudinal axis ofsaid slot, said slot preventing rotation of said nut together with saidshaft when said shaft is rotated, an inflated rubber balloon secured ina clip at each end of said base, said balloons being positioned atopposite ends of said axis of said pins, whereby rotation of either ofsaid knobs axially advances said pins toward or away from said balloons;said apparatus including a spinner comprising a card having differentnumerals printed in a circular arrangement about a central rivetsupporting a rotatable arrow, said numerals representing a number ofturns for either said knob.

1. In a game apparatus, the combination of a base, a thrEaded shaftsupported rotatably on said base, a knob secured on each end of saidshaft, a threaded nut engaged on said shaft, a radially extending postintegral with said nut, a figurine extending from two opposite sides ofsaid post, each said figurine comprising a snake design having aprojecting tongue, said tongues comprising oppositely extending pointedpins, said post extending through a slot of said base, longitudinal axesof said shaft and said pins being parallel to the longitudinal axis ofsaid slot, said slot preventing rotation of said nut together with saidshaft when said shaft is rotated, an inflated rubber balloon secured ina clip at each end of said base, said balloons being positioned atopposite ends of said axis of said pins, whereby rotation of either ofsaid knobs axially advances said pins toward or away from said balloons;said apparatus including a spinner comprising a card having differentnumerals printed in a circular arrangement about a central rivetsupporting a rotatable arrow, said numerals representing a number ofturns for either said knob.